Kevin Durant shines at both ends as Warriors beat Cavaliers

Kevin Durant (35) looks up at the scoreboard late in the second half as the Golden State Warriors played the Cleveland Cavaliers at Oracle Arena in Oakland, Calif., on Monday, December 25, 2017.

Kevin Durant (35) looks up at the scoreboard late in the second half as the Golden State Warriors played the Cleveland Cavaliers at Oracle Arena in Oakland, Calif., on Monday, December 25, 2017.

Photo: Carlos Avila Gonzalez/The Chronicle

Photo: Carlos Avila Gonzalez/The Chronicle

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Kevin Durant (35) looks up at the scoreboard late in the second half as the Golden State Warriors played the Cleveland Cavaliers at Oracle Arena in Oakland, Calif., on Monday, December 25, 2017.

Kevin Durant (35) looks up at the scoreboard late in the second half as the Golden State Warriors played the Cleveland Cavaliers at Oracle Arena in Oakland, Calif., on Monday, December 25, 2017.

Photo: Carlos Avila Gonzalez/The Chronicle

Kevin Durant shines at both ends as Warriors beat Cavaliers

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OAKLAND, Calif. - LeBron James drove to the basket in the waning seconds, and Kevin Durant swatted away any chance Cleveland had at a Christmas Day comeback.

Durant pumped his fist, emphatically shook his head and pounded his chest in delight. It looked a lot like the dominant Durant from the NBA Finals six months ago.

Klay Thompson hit a go-ahead 3-pointer with 1:33 left, Durant delivered on both ends of the floor, and the Golden State Warriors beat the Cavaliers 99-92 on Monday in a rematch of the past three Finals.

"There's just so much joy in the arena today because it's Christmas, and we all feed off of that," Durant said.

Durant's block against a driving James with 24.5 seconds left went to official review and was ruled clean. Durant finished with 25 points, seven rebounds and five blocks.

"He's one of the leaders in shot blocks a game, and obviously he had five tonight, so he's been doing a heck of a job of first of all taking the individual matchup and protecting the rim, too," James said.

Kevin Love had 31 points and a season-best 18 rebounds; James contributed 20 points, six rebounds and six assists in a rivalry missing one key piece: Warriors star Stephen Curry, who missed his eighth straight game with a sprained right ankle.

Green's triple-double

Thompson scored 24 points, and Draymond Green had a triple-double with 12 points, 12 rebounds and 11 assists. It was Golden State's 12th win in 13 games after its 11-game winning streak was snapped by Denver on Saturday night.

Warriors rookie Jordan Bell traveled with 2:13 left, and James tied it. Bell made up for that mistake with a key offensive rebound and pass to Thompson for his fourth 3.

James' 3-pointer with 10:39 left pulled Cleveland within one, but Green answered with a 3, and Andre Iguodala scored two of his nine points the next time down. In another key sequence, Durant blocked Tristan Thompson's shot with 6:23 to go and dunked moments later.

No surprise, the up-tempo, running rivals provided high entertainment once again. The Warriors last June captured a second championship in three years against James and the Cavaliers.

"I forgot all about it," Cavs coach Tyronn Lue said with a chuckle.

The teams will see each other again soon, playing Jan. 15 in Cleveland.

Durant requested James for his defensive assignment, to which he explained simply, "I just like guarding my position."

Cavs' surge halted

The Cavs, having won six of seven and playing for the first time since Thursday, had their run of scoring at least 100 points end at 26 games.

The Warriors were at nearly full strength again aside from Curry, who could return this week once he goes through some scrimmages at practice.

The Cavs' 31.8 percent shooting was the lowest by a Warriors foe in nearly four years, since Charlotte shot 31.2 percent from the field on Feb. 4, 2014.